How many times do we justify doing something by saying it was what God wanted, or it was the right thing to do?  If we feel we have to justify ourselves, then that is the "proof in the pudding" that it was the wrong thing to do.  Our actions were usually motivated by pride.  We may not recognize it at first, but when you analyze it long enough you will get to the root -- pride.

We look at Saul.  He was God's chosen king for Israel.  He had seen God work in his own life.  But when he saw his soldiers losing heart before a big battle, he panicked and took matters into his own hands.  He wanted to speed along God's timetable.  He did not wait for Samuel to come and do the sacrifice.  When Saul offered the sacrifice, why did he do it?  I don't truly believe it was because he felt it was the right thing to do.  I think he saw it as a tool to help make his soldiers braver and to win the favor of God to bless him in battle.  Saul saw it more as a superstitious rite than what it truly was.  Saul did not have the right as a king to step into the priestly office.  On top of that, his heart was not right.

Samuel told Saul much the same thing -- It is better to obey than to sacrifice.  It comes back to the idea of works.  If I do this, that and the other God will be pleased with me and give me what I want.  God is not that shallow.  We as mankind are.  We are making God over into our image.

Saul was rejected by God for his continued disobedience.  He became plagued by evil spirits, paranoid, and ended up killing himself rather than be captured in battle.  His pride led to his downfall.

But don't we do the same things?  When there is a short-handedness in church, do you jump in?  Do you have the attitude of "Well, if I don't do it, no one will," or "If I don't do it it won't be done right"?  That is pride!  If God has not called you to step in and do it, but you jump in, then you are taking over a job that God intended someone else to do.  You are "stealing their birthright" so to speak.  You are robbing them of a special blessing God intended for them.  You won't receive the blessing.  You will most like just get worn out, overworked and end up being burnt out and no good to anyone.  So you had better make sure that God is calling you to do something before you jump in or allow yourself to be "volunteered."

Remember, it is better to obey than to sacrifice.